Scabies cases at care home

Residents and staff at a Dewsbury care home are being treated for a suspected case of scabies.

The concerned daughter of a resident at Aston Manor home, in Moorlands Road, contacted the News and said the outbreak meant she had not been able to see her mother, who has dementia, for two weeks.

All the years I’ve had my mum in there and now I’m letting her down

Dr Mike Gent of Public Health England Yorkshire and the Humber has since confirmed that 10 residents and staff members are suspected to have been affected by the contagious skin condition.

Fifty families depend on the service to care for relatives with dementia, physical diasbilities and sensory impairments.

The daughter of the care home resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It’s been going on for two weeks and another home are not going to take her on until the doctors have okayed her.

“I feel like I’m at a loss because the home aren’t doing anything.

“All the years I’ve had my mum in there and now I’m letting her down. Her illness will get worse. The amount of money that we pay, it’s disgusting.”

Scabies is a skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin, passing easily through skin-to-skin contact, particularly in semi-closed environments like nursing homes, said Dr Gent.

He said it is not usually serious, but does need to be treated and confirmed that all residents and staff at the home are receiving treatment, which will help prevent others developing the condition.

The home has been advised to introduce additional infection control measures and the management is cooperating fully. He added that there is no risk to the wider public.

A spokesman for Mauricare Limited, the provider for Aston Manor, said: “We take this matter very seriously and duly informed the relevant authorities . We remain grateful to the support from all parties and pleased with cooperation and understanding shown. No new case has come to light since Public Health visited on May 7 and the home has suspended new admission in the interim.”

Mauricare took over the home in October last year.

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